Details

The use of complex passwords increases their strength against attack. The built-in Windows password complexity policy requires passwords to contain at least 3 of the 4 types of characters (numbers, upper- and lower-case letters, and special characters), as well as preventing the inclusion of user names or parts of.

Solution

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy >> ‘Password must meet complexity requirements’ to ‘Enabled’.

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• http://iasecontent.disa.mil/stigs/zip/Oct2016/U_Windows_Vista_V6R41_STIG.zip

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Identification and Authentication.This control applies to the following type of system Windows.

References

• 800-53|IA-5(1)(a)
• CAT|II
• CCI|CCI-000192
• CCI|CCI-000193
• CCI|CCI-000194
• CCI|CCI-001619
• Rule-ID|SV-29684r2_rule
• STIG-ID|3.028
• Vuln-ID|V-1150

Source

• Tenable.com/audits